Martian

A Martian's undercarriage is his own private kingdom and I shall defend mine with your life! No pictures today as the Heinkel has had a coat of Mr surfacer squirted at its interior and I shall leave it to cure for 24 hours before applying the RLM 66 to the crew stations. I think I will spend the rest of the modelling day investigating how much, if anything can be made to fit from the Eduard mask set which is intended for the Revell kit. I see that CMK are re-releasing their engine set for the MPM/Special Hobby 1/48 kit of the type. This is excellent news as the lack of this set has caused me to hold back on building the kit as I feel, in my humble opinion, that the engines are such an unusual feature of the type that they really deserve to be featured in a build in this scale. This build, however, has led me to realise that before starting such an undertaking, I need to amass a great deal more in the wat of references on the Heinkel. There is plenty of stuff out there but it might take a while as I will have to spread the cost over a few months. Martian 👽

......And may the Lord have mercy on your soul. Concerned of Mars 👽

I have just had a communication from the National Union of Code Breakers, Bletchley Park Branch that they have gone on strike for the duration. A union spokesman, when asked to comment on CC learning Scottish dialect was quoted as saying "Wibble, just Wibbke". He then stuck a pencil up each nostril, a pair of Battle Y Fronts on his head and was last seen running wibbling for the Trossachs. Martian 👽

Thanks Johnny. There's no pressure about this thread. I will, however, have to let Macbeth out of the Naughty Corner on license as he says he can't stand having to listen to @corsaircorp's jokes much longer and being forced to do so may contitute a breach of the Human Rights Act. Don't worry, we'll pop him beck in there when you get started. Martian 👽

Thanks Ian. I know there must be some out there wondering why I am not building one of the much more sophisticated Revell kits of the type. However, I'm getting a real blast of nostalgia, pushing my scratch building skills and getting far more satisfaction than had I chosen the easy way out. Would I build this kit again? Without a seconds hesitation. In fact, I may well do just that as I do fancy the missile carrying version in the kit. Martian 👽

Thanks Pete and I see the serious bit lasted all of one post beyond the sensible one. Unsurprised of Mars 👽

So, as promised, the latest update on the activities at the Martian bench. I decided that I needed to spend some more time on the wings. The main undercarriage doors were only open when the undercarriage was being cycled and this was the first thing to be tackled. The kit parts in this area are not the greatest fit and there was much shimming and filling was required before they matched the profile of the wing. Once sanded down, they were re-scribed. Next up i decided to get the exhausts out of the way. There seem to be some prominent ribs going round the exhausts and these were reproduced with some strips of 0.15 x 0.20 'thou plastic strip. The rear gun position has been exercising the Martian brain for some time and I decided to get it sorted out for once and for all. Airfix have the gun set too far back and have it placed between two lugs to allow it to move. Great for play value but less so for accuracy. The lugs were ground away and a new mount added at the extreme end of the fuselage. This was drilled out ready to accept a new brass barrel from Master. Accordingly, the kit gun lost its barrel and it was glued in place in the rear gunner's position. a length of plastic rod is standing in for the brass barrel for the pictures. I decided that it was also time to get to work on the tail wheel and its bay. I have finished boxing the bay in and made a start on some structure. The kit tail wheel has no leg so I have made one from brass. I am pretty sure that I have a spare brass torque link somewhere and I want to find this rather than scratch build a styrene one from a strength point of view. Time to tidy the Martian cave again methinks. Thanks for looking and apologies for the, doubtless temporary, outbreak of seriousness. Martian 👽

I do have a friend called Ken and obviously I do know him but I'm not sure that helps this learned debate. Martian 👽 PS: Actual plastic fondling coming up later today. (Shock, horror, stop press and all that!)

I understand that the General does have a second hand bucket of instant sunshine if that helps. It doesn't? There's no pleasing some Earthlings. Exasperated of Mars 👽

Only if they are covered in batter and deep fried. An Idea one of the Ice Warriors had following a short break in Scotland. Sadly his trip was cut short, when he was hospitalised with severe trauma following an incident at the Highland Games when, sitting in the VIP area, he had a grandstand view of Hamish Angus Hogmanay MacMelchett, a cousin of @general melchett having a kilt failure whilst he was tossing a particularly large caber (fnarr, fnarr). A herd of highland cattle was killed in the subsequent stampede of punters trying to flee the show ground and several Haggis were treated for extreme shock by local vets. When approached for comment, the wife of the local laird was quoted "I've never seen one as big as that before! Clearly we hope referring to the caber. Martian 👽

No cajoling needed, she actually offered her services. (the model making, you dirty minded Earthlings!) She learned to model when we first got together and proved very good at it. It was in fact one of the many reasons that I decided to sign her on. If it was part of a cunning plan to hook an extremely eligible Martian, then it worked a treat. She does say though that she has become as invested in the Zeppelin project as I am. I think she is a keeper. Martian 👽

Thanks James, I'm looking forward to getting the fuselage buttoned up before too long as I want to crack on and finish the bomb bay. I know that there is no time limit on this thread but there will come a point where I have to put this down and start getting the Zeppelin display ready for Hornchurch and Telford. I have at least three BE2cs, a DH4 and a Zeppelin to complete. Fortunately Lady Martian has said she will dust off her modelling skills and help out with the Be2s. Under Pressure of Mars 👽

Sorry, tentacle trouble there, I forgot to post the picture of the work on the gunner's position. Amnesiac of Mars 👽

I have managed to get more on the flight deck done. I decided that I didn't like the kit supplied seats and replaced them with some brass items. Some brass rudder pedals were sourced from an old Airwaves set and an instrument panel fashioned for the pilot. Assorted brass etches that gave a suitable impression as to what the real aircraft looked like were than added to the side consuls. I feel we are getting close to a suitable busy looking flight deck now. Attention now turned to the tail gunner's position. some structure was added to the walls and seat constructed from a cut down pilot's seat that had been ripped out of the flight deck. The very rear of the position was lowered and a piece of plastic card glued to the port side of the fuselage and when set, this was carved and sanded to shape. The kit supplied 20mm cannon isn't too bad at all and even features the rather distinctive gunsight mounted on the top of its barrel. Sadly, I can't see it surviving the rest of the build and have a set of brass barrels from various sources, laid down to replace the kit items. More soon and thanks for looking. Martian 👽

Thanks Johnny, it feels good to have this thing back on track. Martian 👽